 Burdock |
BURDOCK (Greater) ARCTIUM
LAPPA By its leaf or seed you may draw the womb which way you please, either upward by applying it to the crown of the head in case it falls out; or downwards in fits of the mother, by applying it to the soles of the feet: or if you would stay it in its place, apply it to the navel, and that is one good way to stay the child in it. A biennial, it grows to more than three feet (90 cm). It is well known to little boys who pull off the clinging seed vessels to throw at one another. It is also called Personata, Happy-major and Clot-bur. Where to find it: Common by ditches, watersides and highways. Flowering time: Early to midsummer. Astrology. Venus challenges this herb for her own. Medicinal virtues: The leaves are cooling and moderately drying and can be applied to old ulcers and sores, and also to places troubled with the shrinking in of the sinews or arteries. The root beaten with a little salt and laid on the place bitten by a snake, will suddenly easeth the pain. The juice of the leaves drunk with honey promotes the flow of urine and eases pain in the bladder. The seed macerated in wine for 4o days provides a wonderfully helpful medicine for sciatica. Modern uses: Burdock is one of the finest blood purifiers in the herbal system of medicine., It is classified as an alterative, diuretic and diaphoretic. These properties make it of value in the treatment of boils, acne and eczema. It helps the kidneys to filter out impurities from the blood very quickly. The root is mainly used and administered as a decoction in doses of 2 fl OZ (56 ml) three or four times a day. The seeds, used alone as a decoction, have similar properties, but are particularly tonic to the kidneys. A homeopathic medicine made from Arctium lappa is also available. |